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Royal Mail managers to vote on strike action | Royal Mail managers to vote on strike action |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Thousands of Royal Mail managers are to be balloted over possible strike action in a dispute over job cuts. | Thousands of Royal Mail managers are to be balloted over possible strike action in a dispute over job cuts. |
About 8,500 managers at Royal Mail head offices across the UK, and those at subsidiary businesses Parcelforce and the Post Office are due to vote. | About 8,500 managers at Royal Mail head offices across the UK, and those at subsidiary businesses Parcelforce and the Post Office are due to vote. |
The Unite union said it was the first time in more than 30 years that postal service managers had been asked to decide on whether to hold walkouts. | |
Royal Mail said some job cuts were essential due to falling mail volumes. | Royal Mail said some job cuts were essential due to falling mail volumes. |
Unite said the ballot had been organised in protest at what it said were plans to cut 1,500 manager positions on a compulsory basis. | Unite said the ballot had been organised in protest at what it said were plans to cut 1,500 manager positions on a compulsory basis. |
Paul Reuter, national officer at the union, said: "Unite will not allow managers to be forced out because of the poor decisions made at the very top of Royal Mail Group. | Paul Reuter, national officer at the union, said: "Unite will not allow managers to be forced out because of the poor decisions made at the very top of Royal Mail Group. |
"If Royal Mail are allowed to push ahead with forced redundancies it will keep coming back for more, so Unite intends to stop Royal Mail in its tracks." | "If Royal Mail are allowed to push ahead with forced redundancies it will keep coming back for more, so Unite intends to stop Royal Mail in its tracks." |
He added that the Royal Mail had already cut 5,000 jobs over the past five years on a voluntary basis, and that, as a result, compulsory redundancies were "not necessary now". | He added that the Royal Mail had already cut 5,000 jobs over the past five years on a voluntary basis, and that, as a result, compulsory redundancies were "not necessary now". |
A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We continue talking with Unite, and have stressed we will continue doing our utmost to manage any job losses by voluntary means." | A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We continue talking with Unite, and have stressed we will continue doing our utmost to manage any job losses by voluntary means." |
The government announced last month that it is to move ahead with plans to privatise the Royal Mail, saying it needed both private finance and expertise. | The government announced last month that it is to move ahead with plans to privatise the Royal Mail, saying it needed both private finance and expertise. |
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